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But even that didn't save the former NRL star turned TV funnyman in the season opening episode of the Channel Nine Footy Show.

The network's flagship rugby league program has a different look this year. Host of 23 years Paul "Fatty" Vautin is gone and in his place is presenter Erin Molan. Molan has been part of the show for several years but is taking on added responsibility in 2018.

A much more minimalistic set was another noticeable change in Thursday night's show that followed the Dragons' comfortable 34-12 win over the Broncos. While there were always likely to be teething problems, Channel Nine probably wasn't expecting one of them to be as cringe-worthy as the oversight that put Ryan in the spotlight before he'd had a chance to crack his first joke.

Walking onto the set to join rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns, Penrith winger Josh Mansour, Melbourne fullback Billy Slater and former NSW star Ryan Girdler, Ryan got to the end of the line when he realised something was amiss.

There was nowhere for him to sit.

Gone was the desk that every member used to sit behind — this season guests are given individual armchairs to plonk themselves in. Well, all guests except Ryan.

Molan: There doesn't appear to be a chair, Beau.

Ryan: Can someone get me a chair, or ... what's going on?

Molan: Yeah that's a little bit awkward.

Ryan: Am I actually meant to be on the show?

Molan: Yeah you are, you are, you're very welcome. How have you been anyway? It's been a long off season.

Ryan: What's going on with the chair? Can I seriously get a chair? I'm on all the promos.

Some of those watching weren't overly impressed with the new-look show, criticising it for being too vanilla and saying they won't be tuning in again. The bells and whistles are gone and it was a much more sedate production.

#NRLFootyShowAbsolute trainwreck cringe inducing TV production. It’s mind boggling to me that the producers here are still stuck in 1998 for concepts, content and audience. No energy, stale, awkward and no emotional experience for viewers at all.FOX with a 100m runaway success

"Andy O'Brien the EP (executive producer) has done a terrific job. Gary Burns (network consultant) has as well. Their brief has been make rugby league cool again. Make The Footy Show cool again.

"It's a success already. From a business point of view we've remade it to a more appropriate show to follow Thursday night football. There's more post-match analysis. It's a cheaper show to produce. It makes more sense for the business.

"That was one of the main driving forces behind why we had to make a change. Two years ago we only had six nights of Thursday night. Now we have 23. There is no longer the need for an all-singing, all-dancing stand-alone Thursday night footy show. So we've remade it into what we believe is a better version at a better cost. We already think it's success and we think viewers are going to like it as well.

"The targets are going to be different because it's no longer going to be on at 8.30pm on a Thursday night. It's not expected to draw the same audience that it would have at 8.30."

Nine is yet to begin looking for potential replacements for Molan when she decides to take maternity leave this year.